This is our time to promote leadership empowered by science, innovation and women!

Inspire:
I have always been passionate about the science and research and felt I was contributing to the world by improving knowledge in biomedicine. I believe i was lucky because someone inspired me to be enthusiastic about the work I was involved in. Now I feel it is my time to inspire the next generation of scientists who will transform medicine for the betterment of people's lives! This is our time to fight for human lives!

Empower:
The ability to invent or develop something novel is one of the most valuable skills a person can possess. I have met several people with great ability and huge potential who lack the confidence to believe in their success. Although the world needs more people with bright ideas it also needs people that can provide support and inspire others to believe in themselves. So, let's be more kind, open and supportive to the people who surround us and empower others to succeed.

Innovate:
Most great discoveries occur when someone has left their comfort-zone and is looking at things from a different angle or perspective. We must not be afraid of trying new things and experimenting with new approaches. This is how one ends up creating innovative treatments, methods and technologies that improve and save lives.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
Through being involved in Innovation Forum you do not just develop vital business and soft skills, but you also become a leader in your field. It is vital in the current world to have people with great leadership skills who can promote creativity and inspire others to become masters of what they do!

For an organization to lead in innovation, it needs to have empowered women who bring their unique attitudes, skill-sets and ways of thinking.

Inspire:
Following my own passions and dreams has always inspired me in life. Doing so has allowed me to find the right role-models and enjoy every moment of my life journey. I believe that there exists no bigger inspiration than waking up every morning and knowing that I am living the life of my dreams.

Empower:
To feel empowered, you need to have strong and compelling reasons behind everything you do. Having big “whys” is much more important than knowing “what” you want to achieve or “how” you want to do it. These “whys” have to be greater than you and at the same time speak right to your heart. Behind everything I do, the biggest “why” is: I care deeply about creating a positive impact in the world through science-based, technological innovations. This, along with other big “whys” in my life, has helped me endure all the difficult moments, persevere, and be successful.

Innovate:
I am big believer of end-user-innovation; the type of innovation that results from an individual’s need to find a better solution for a problem they face in their everyday life. If you live your everyday by trying to find a solution for all problems you encounter, then soon enough you will find yourself not only improving your own life but also the lives of others! For me this has been particularly true since some colleagues and I produced Nextflow, a computational framework revolutionizing genomic analyses and setting the computational foundations for personalized medicine. Nextflow was the end result of our attempts to find a solution for the every-day computational problems we were facing with big biomedical data analyses.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
At Innovation Forum, we do not only foster scientific innovation through our events and activities; we also innovate within the organization every time we need to come up with new disruptive processes, business models, or activities. As founder and president of Innovation Forum Barcelona, I soon learned that in order to innovate in an organization, you need to have empowered women that bring different attitudes, skill-sets and ways of thinking. My message, therefore, to the young women out there starting their careers is this: follow your passions, be yourself and develop your unique talents, instead of trying to fit into a “man’s world”.

“The question isn’t ‘who is going to let me’; it’s ‘who is going to stop me’.” – Ayn Rand

Empower:
It never fails to surprise me when I interact with individuals in a professional setting who assume that because of my age, gender or appearance, I am unable to provide a valuable, contributing point of view to a business discussion. While it always feels great when I am able to overcome a negative bias or perception, these situations remind me of how far we still have to go toward real gender parity.

Doubt, scepticism or dismissal of your abilities can either hold you hostage or empower you to work harder and strive for better. I choose the latter.

Women can lead. It’s 2017, about time that we did.

Inspire:
My very first encounter with Innovation Forum was an inspiration and a showcase of what women can achieve. In 2014 I attended Bio-Beat, an event that Innovation Forum co-organises with a seasoned female Biotech consultant in Cambridge, Miranda Weston-Smith. I went straight out of the academic bubble and entered a world of successful women in Science, Entrepreneurship and Business – the “movers and shakers” who are making a real difference to people’s lives through their work.

Empower:
Empowerment comes from true equality with choice and respect. My father never told me what to study. My partner and I make career choices with mutual respect and support each other to achieve our best.
Society must empower both men and women to have a full range of choice. Not only must women be given the confidence to lead businesses or demand the pay rise they deserve, men must also be given the confidence to raise their families.

Innovate:
Successful innovation is a long and challenging process. We start with a brilliant new idea. We discuss it with experts and mentors, refine it, change it, and shape it into something with real potential. We manage the process of changing the idea into a real business, requiring leadership and serious organisational skills to keep on top of everything. We must sell the idea to investors and ensure we get our fair share in the success of the business. A tremendous amount of resilience and self-belief is needed to get through this process Let’s not only take those brilliant ideas from 50 % of the population. Let’s listen to the advice of female mentors with years of experience, when we have a new idea. Let’s give women the opportunity to lead and give due credit for their contributions.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
Innovation Forum has a strong ethos of rewarding performance. I worked hard and delivered my goals. This was recognised and evaluated irrespective of my gender, giving me the opportunity to take a leading role in the shaping events in Cambridge and the organisation of the Innovation Forum 2016 Leaders conference.

Disprove anyone who tells you 'you cannot succeed'

Inspire:
People inspire me. People that go through hardships and decide not to surrender, people that no matter how many times they fall they stand up and continue fighting. That is what gives me strength and inspires me to do the same and fulfil my dreams.

Empower:
What empowers me? It’s my thirst for knowledge.
‘The unknown’ is what drives innovation and knowledge is the key to understanding. I choose academia because I have the need to constantly grow. It gave me the opportunity to take a problem, break it down and understand it. Marie Curie said ‘Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more so than we fear’.

Innovate:
They say everyone can innovate. I believe that innovation comes from creativity and creativity cannot be ordered. You cannot tell people to be more creative and innovative, you have to inspire them to be so. Despite only 18% of startups having female founders, women were the inspiration for many more.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
For innovation to succeed, it needs to be a team-based process and this is the basis of Innovation Forum. As a President of Innovation Forum at Imperial College London, I try to foster constant creativity and innovation, while giving everyone the opportunity to perform at the best of their abilities. My advice to women leaders is to adapt the behaviour that you want to see in others.

Men and women bring unique skills to a company but when both are considered equal they are able combine these skills to exceed all expectations.

Inspire:
The women around me have always inspired me to work hard for what I believe in. I think everyone needs to have a strong role model to look up to throughout their life. Whether that’s a male or female, having someone that inspires you, helps you strive for greatness and aspiring to be such a role model ensures every choice you make is for the right reasons.

Empower:
I think all women should seek to empower one another. I have strong self-determination and I believe this has led in part to my success but I also strive to instil confidence in those around me and take encouragement and support from others. Through these acts of unity women can stand together against inequality.

Innovate:
Having volunteered in various countries and communities I have been able to experience the true impact that seemingly small innovations can have on an individuals quality of life. Some of the most innovative people I have met, made their day-to-day life easier by a simple innovation, which then had a knock on effect and made the life easier of every member of their community. Anyone can be innovative; whether that’s finding an easier way to store water in Uganda or a more efficient scientific technique in my lab in Edinburgh. I intend to surround myself with innovative people to ensure I am continuously striving to make improvements in my own life and the lives of those around me.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
Innovation forum is a great platform for enhancing your skills and discovering new talents. Everyone is encouraged to consider what she or he wants to gain from being part of the organisation, to ensure that we all become leaders of our own future. The mix of men and women and the positive attitudes surrounding equality allow innovation forum to prosper. As more companies take note of the role equality has played in innovation forums achievements, more innovative individuals will be given the chance to succeed in the “mans world’ of business and one day overcome this stereotype.

Leadership for me is enabling and unlocking people’s potential

Inspire:
Inspiration comes in many forms and shapes, but most importantly it stems from my passion for science and innovation. It defines my actions and future aspirations and grants me the strength and encouragement to make a difference.

Empower:
Empowerment drives innovation, creativity and cultivates proactivity and leadership. It seeds the self-confidence in others and gives them the ability to excel and take risk. Anyone has the ability to empower regardless of their gender, age or status. It costs nothing, yet it is priceless and can change the lives of others. Everyone should strive to do it.

Innovate:
Innovation to me means coming with new creative solutions to solve unmet needs. At Innovation Forum Oxford our mission is to accelerate innovation by inspiring and fostering scientists-entrepreneurs to translate their discoveries. We are delivering it by recognising needs and bringing new innovative solutions to make a positive impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
Leadership for me means empowering and unlocking people’s potential. It is to build a team with a common goal and a strong vision. To understand their strengths and nurture these talents. As President of the Innovation Forum Oxford branch, I have the pleasure of leading a team of talented individuals who thrive in what they do.

I am passionate about making everyday count, about having a positive impact, on people I am fortunate to have by my side and on people I am grateful I can reach through the means of technology.

Inspire:
As a mother of 2 bright and “beautiful in their individuality” girls, and the daughter, granddaughter, goddaughter, godmother, cousin, niece, colleague and best friend of the most resourceful, resilient, talented, intelligent, caring and powerful women, I do not need to search hard or dig deep for inspiration. It is all around me aplenty.

Empower:
Only when knowing oneself and feeling comfortable with it, you can empower others without the fear of losing power. Then it is a chain and a cycle; it goes around and comes around.

Innovate:
Empathy should be at the heart of innovation; solving a problem to meet a need, to relieve pain and suffering, to enhance the quality of life or to optimise life experiences can only stem from consciously caring for others and actively involving them in the process of innovation.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
I believe a leader is the one whose values, vision, strategy and execution are aligned and strongly championed and adopted by the team. Gender is as relevant as the colour of his/her eyes!

If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough.

Inspire:
It is a true inspiration to work in a field that brings technology and healthcare together. I was lucky to get involved in digital health industry very early in my career and I can already see the progress that was made. In my role as a Scout at Roche, I am in touch with start-ups questioning the status-quo. As a trained psychologist, I can see how technology is already being used to design better lifestyles and build new habits. That’s truly fascinating. Furthermore, in my leisure time, I am always seeking for inspiration. I love travelling, writing, attractive interiors and an insightful chat over a warm cup of good cappuccino.

Empower:
I believe that if we want to be truly empowered, we need to know ourselves. We need to be aware of our strengths and limitations, our beliefs and values. I frequently ask myself these questions. Meditation, Journaling and Sports – they all help me stay authentic, self-aware and focused.

Innovate:
I try to use my innovation muscle frequently by leaving my comfort zone. I try new things on a regular basis: I pick some new sports, go to unknown restaurants, search for new places or read about new subjects. I knock on many doors. No limitation. Well, perhaps one. Experience showed me that I would be better off if I am less innovative in the kitchen.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
Dare to have a clear vision, manage to translate it into reality and make it easy to follow. Vision is the true essence of leadership throughout Innovation Forum.

“The only limits you have are the limits you believe” – Wayne Dyer

Inspire:
The biggest inspiration comes from the unexpected. Usually when I am surrounded by people - when we are talking, sharing different thoughts, discussing - I am becoming fully inspired. Their stories, lessons learned, challenges, dreams – it all shakes my world and shows me new possibilities.

Empower:
If you have ability to empower people to be their best, you will be amazed by their bright ideas. It can be the first step to grow together and create environment in which you wish to live.

Innovate:
Innovation can come within many different forms and shapes but for sure it comes within passion. If you are passionate about your work and you believe in your idea, you have a big chance to innovate and succeed.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
For me leadership is a big challenge: the good thing is that I love challenges. It is also an amazing opportunity to grow together with the team, share passions and develop new abilities. Being a leader of Innovation Forum Poland teaches me a lot every day. Probably it is related to the fact that Innovation Forum gathers together amazing people. Working with them is a great pleasure.

Live. Learn. Lead.
Everyone can make a difference – never forget that.

Inspire:
My inspiration starts with my family. I have been lucky enough to come from a family of women leaders and strong supporters of these leaders. As a result, I constantly surround myself with people who inspire me. It is through them, I have learned to dream big, tackle challenges and never give up the pursuit of my dreams.

Empower:
I find the fact I can make a difference to be extremely empowering. It constantly motivates me to improve myself and expand my horizons beyond what I think I am capable of. My journey so far has also allowed me to realise that everyone has the capacity to make a difference and I wish to empower others to unlock their true potential.

Innovate:
I’ve always found the thought of being able to innovate very exciting. It is crucial for global progress and permeates every aspect of our lives. It has the power to save lives as well as entire planets. This is precisely why we need to focus on innovation and offer unbiased support for innovators.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
To inspire, empower and innovate we need to connect people and Innovation Forum does precisely that. As the president of the King’s College London Branch, I try to offer an open, collaborative platform for members to develop their potential as future leaders. My advice to women leaders is “Be strong, be resilient and be yourself.”

Be someone who strives to think beyond your team, for your team.
Being a team player is about making your team diverse yet
complementary, not like-minded, but don't let your 'being a women' be the only reason you're diverse.

Inspire:
If you’re going to be inspired, take inspiration from the best. This doesn’t have to be people who are famous, I’m most inspired by my mum’s work ethic. She gets more done before I even wake up than most people do in a day.

Empower:
Playing the victim of discrimination (race, gender, social strata etc.) will only ever get you pity. Play the survivor. The Bible says we should “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” I’m empowered by my Christian hope, alongside growing a character fit for such hope.

Innovate:
Be playful! No one ever invented anything good without playing around. I’m proud to own plasticine, colouring pencils, scissors and glue. What excites me most about innovation is not the final product, but the process that got it there. Seeing prototypes made out of what others consider rubbish inspires and captivates me.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
The Innovation Forum is like any team; each player has different strengths and weaknesses. I’ve grown to know my own weaknesses, but also found other IF members that complement them with their strengths, and vice versa. As scientists, it’s easy to forget that we don’t just run with a task, but also pass it to someone with the means of scoring the goal.

If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to think big, dream big, learn more, do more and become better, then, you are an excellent leader.

Inspire:
Having worked in business and educational fields, and as a life-long learner, I aim to share my experiences and insights with talented young people to help them realise their dreams and live life to the fullest.

Empower:
I feel empowered and privileged to be leading Innovation Forum Hong Kong. We aim to contribute to entrepreneurship ecosystems by empowering young entrepreneurs to innovate, think big and benefit from the global science-based network that Innovation Forum is fostering.

Innovate:
I believe that “change is the only constant”. Innovation is, therefore, key for a individuals and organisations. We have to innovate every day, regardless of our respective industries, and make it part of our strategy. Innovation ensures our services and products meet the changing needs of consumers and societies. In a nutshell, “innovation matters” - both businesses and individuals need to innovate and stay competitive in a global marketplace.

Leadership – Innovation Forum:
As founder and President of Innovation Forum Hong Kong, I aim to develop the platform to foster scientific entrepreneurship. I advocate both top-down and bottom-up approaches in orchestrating this new platform so that every member will gain a sense of achievement. At present, two young ladies are serving as Vice Presidents, and they are dedicated to ensure Innovation Forum Hong Kong meets this vision and mission. The are working hard towards adding value to the global communities of innovators and entrepreneurs. My advice to women leaders is that “if your actions create a legacy that inspires others to think big, dream big, learn more, do more and become better, then, you are an excellent leader”.